magazine and website tyre tests, independent tyre tests, manufacturer tyre tests
Goodyear has been aiming to help reduce the risks associated with the traditional April shower by promoting wet weather safety on the radio. Goodyear has been tackling this head on with a series of interviews promoting wet weather safety on radio stations up and down the country. After all, 32 per cent of road accidents occur in the wet.
Summer tyre comparative tests carried out recently in Germany saw Pirelli surpass all its other competitors and achieve outstanding ratings. This despite the severity of the tests, conducted by the top car magazines as well as ADAC, the country’s motoring organisation.
These extremely favourable test results repeated the excellent results achieved in recent months by Pirelli’s winter tyre ranges.
Bridgestone tyres have topped a number of comparative tests in some of Germany’s leading automotive publications. The Bridgestone Potenza RE050A was one of just two models to receive the top ‘highly recommendable’ rating in its category from ‘ADAC Motorwelt’. The respected journal of Germany’s automobile association compared a line-up of 17 225/45 R17 Y/W tyres running on a Mercedes C-Class 230 – with dry handling evaluated at the Nürburgring; and wet performance, comfort, noise and rolling resistance measured at the Contidrom complex near Hamburg.
This is a short extract. Tyrepress and Tyres & Accessories subscribers can log in below to read the full article.
If you are not yet a Tyrepress or Tyres & Accessories subscriber, you can change that here.
Becoming a member has benefits such as:
Goodyear has warned motorists to consider the ‘whole life’ performance of tyres to ensure they are getting the optimum safety and performance in all weather conditions throughout the life of their tyres. The manufacturer says that the difference in tyre performance when worn is even greater than when new and is lobbying for more independent testing on tyres at various stages of their lives. The timing of Goodyear’s announcement follows claims from Michelin that TUV tests found its new Primacy HP tyres perform 25 per cent better when worn than any other premium product.
In an independent test of new tyres, Goodyear reports that its HydraGrip outperformed Michelin’s Pilot Primacy and Pirelli’s P6 in a 50mph wet emergency stop test. According to the manufacturer the independent test found that the Hydragrip-equipped car came to a standstill three metres earlier than its competitors. The tyre is said to have outperformed the Bridgestone Turanza by as much as 10 metres.
Dekk Partner recently invited its Nordic suppliers and customers for a winter adventure at Gol Mountain in Norway. It was an intensive week with more than 400 visitors, all experiencing the best of the Norwegian mountains. Temperatures of -22 degrees in the morning (peaking at 6 degrees during the day) meant there was always enough snow-covered roads, but conditions were bearable.
Michelin is claiming its products last longer than tyres made by any other manufacturer. Following a rigorous testing regime by Germany’s TUV, the French manufacturer is claiming that its Primacy HP tyre gives at least 25 per cent longer tread life than any other competitor, while its “Green” tyre runs for 54 per cent longer than the worst competitor. In addition Michelin claims the Primacy HP brakes as well in the wet after 10,000 kilometres as when brand new.
During the course of Continental’s annual pre-Christmas event, which has now taken place for more than 10 years, the German manufacturer asked international tyre specialists from several reputed magazines to ponder the following question: “Do driver assist systems require new winter tyre testing procedures?” To summarise the stimulated discussions that took place in Ivalo, Finland, it seems development engineers at Hanover are obliged to try and serve the two masters at the same time.
On the one hand, all tyre manufacturers are interested in achieving good test results for their products. On the other hand, tyre features have to be optimised according to road realities. And this is exactly where Continental has detected a discrepancy: because of the introduction of new driver assist systems some test set-ups seem to be out-of-date and could therefore generate misleading results.
Driver assist systems like ABS, ESC and TCS are now common standard fitments, even on compact cars. They provide increased safety and intervene to correct driving errors. During tyre testing, however, ESC and TCS are switched off in order to test the tyres without the effects of those systems. But such test methods have now reached their limits – particularly when you consider that ESC cannot be switched off in some vehicles without interfering with the electronics. Transferability of the test results therefore also debatable because – depending on the vehicle manufacturer’s philosophy – driver assist systems have different performance parameters and so respond in different ways to different tyres grip characteristics. According to Dr Burkhard Wies from Continental, driver assist systems should also be switched on during tyre testing in the future. This would keep tyre tests in line with latest technological advances for both tyres and vehicles.
During the course of Continental’s annual pre-Christmas event, which has now taken place for more than 10 years, the German manufacturer asked international tyre specialists from several reputed magazines to ponder the following question: “Do driver assist systems require new winter tyre testing procedures?” To summarise the stimulated discussions that took place in Ivalo, Finland, it seems development engineers at Hanover are obliged to try and serve the two masters at the same time.
Pirelli winter tyres performed well in tyre tests organised by leading German motoring magazines, Auto Zeitung, Adac Motorwelt, Auto Motor und Sport, Autobild, Sport Auto, Auto Bild Alles Allred, Automobil and Promobil. The results were achieved across the tyre spectrum, from uhp tyres to SUV and touring tyres, plus winter run-flats.
Goodyear’s ultra-high performance Eagle F1 GS-D3 has been awarded first place in a test of 11 top competitors conducted by the editors of Car & Driver. The F1 was praised for its strong wet performance and for have dry handling characteristics comparable with the best dry performers. Continental’s ContiSportContact 2 took second place earning compliments for its “very good” performance in the wet. Yokohama’s Advan Neova AD07 took third place and was praised for its grip: “If you’re looking to cut the quickest lap times while using a street tyre, this is the one to have,” the magazine reported.
ADAC, the German automotive association, has published its new winter tyre test results. Engineers tested tyres in sizes 175/65 R14T and 195/65 R15T – and Goodyear’s Ultra Grip 7 was declared the winner in both categories.
In the smaller size Bridgestone’s Blizzak LM 20 and Pirelli’s Snowcontrol followed Goodyear, as did Semperit’s Wintergrip. Bringing up the rear was Matador.
Auto Express’ decision to make its recent tyre tests their “biggest ever” goes some way towards demonstrating the increasing interest surrounding these reports. And with so many brands on the market all claiming to be the best at something, who can blame consumers for wanting a second opinion?
However, Auto Express is not alone when it comes to testing. Other well-known magazines including Which? Autocar and Evo also publish tyre test results. But in terms of coverage and frequency Auto Express’ tyre tests currently lead the way in the UK. And when you consider that that this particular publication is Britain’s biggest selling motoring weekly, it is clear that winning or being recommended by such a report can have very positive repercussions on the tyre business.
Relatively unknown brands particularly have a lot to gain. By winning or being recommended in tests, these companies stand to gain a leg up in the estimation the country’s motoring millions, without investing in publicity or marketing campaigns. The theory is that product quality will speak for itself.
Last month saw the official European launch of Fulda’s new Exelero. But it didn’t stop there. The manufacturer not only presented a new UHP tyre to European press and dealers, but also a new car, the Fulda Maybach Exelero.
Sales of the Fulda brand reached 9 million pieces in 2004, of which approximately 5 million were sold in Germany and the remainder in other parts of Europe. The factory, based in the German city Fulda, produced 7 million tyres in 2004, but they weren’t all for the Fulda brand. The plant focuses on high end products, including runflats, UHP tyres and products for the SUV sector, it also produces tyres for other Goodyear brands.
But back to the much anticipated ‘Fulda Maybach Exelero’ project. Just imagine a vehicle that combines the elegance and quality of a high-end limousine with the powerful agility of a sports coupé. Picture a vehicle with a basic weight of over 2.66 tonnes and the dimensions of a light truck that can achieve a maximum speed of over 350 km/h. Now visualise an ultra-high performance tyre that not only copes with the aforementioned weight, the dimensions and the speed, but also makes the vehicle safe, stable and comfortable. Does such a vehicle and tyre exist? It does now.
Other manufacturers develop a tyre for a car, Fulda reversed he norm and developed a car for the tyres. This is a symbol, according to Fulda’s MD Bernd Hoffmann, that his brand is unique from all others – in the market as well as in the Goodyear family.
Fulda has been making car tyres for the past 100 years, and has tested and marketed its products on several special vehicles throughout this time. Luxury high-speed buses, a series of show trucks, racing cars, all have been used to test and advertise the manufacturers tyres. In the 1930s the streamlined Maybach SW38 was used. The car could conduct tyre tests at speeds of over 200 km/h. Unfortunately it did not last for long, the test car which was designed in 1938 and produced in 1939 disappeared during the war years and was never seen again.
Sixty-six years later Fulda has introduced a high-tech tyre to the market. The most extreme dimension in the tyre’s portfolio is the 315/25 ZR 23, licensed for speeds of more than 350 km/h. As a series tyre, and not a racing tyre, a high-speed vehicle was needed for the launch and not a racing car. Lucky then that one of the most exclusive German vehicle makes was revived a few years ago and a joint project was organised, just like in the old days.
The contacts were made thanks to René Staud, a world-class car photographer and an outstanding ‘networker’ at DaimlerChrysler and Fulda Reifen. An agreement was reached following several discussions with Leon Hustinx, Maybach’s director sales and marketing – Maybach would build a car for Fulda. The objective was to position the vehicle as an ambassador for the new ultra high performance tyre line Exelero.
The project had quite a team behind it. Two independent design professors and four of their students, together with the design professionals from DaimlerChrysler and Fulda worked on the car. After nine months of design proposals one of the students’ designs was chosen.
Transforming a limousine, the Maybach 57 (the basis for the Exelero) into a coupé is an extremely complicated process. When considering the engine alternatives, it soon became clear that the basic twelve-cylinder engine used in the Maybach limousines would not achieve the desired maximum speed of around 350 km/h despite the Biturbo charger. Here, the Mercedes Car Group leapt into the breach. The engine specialists in Untertürkheim, the place where all basic engines are developed, provided some much needed support to the project. After much tweaking of the Maybach type 12 engine, the cubic capacity was increased from 5.6 to 5.9 litres and the turbo charge optimised. The result was convincing: on the test bed almost 700 hp and at least 1,000 newton metres of torque were recorded, sufficient to achieve the maximum target speed of 350 km/h.
The final test measurements at the end of April/beginning of May 2005 on the high speed Motodrom Nardo confirmed the team’s hard work and success, the car reached a top speed of 351.45 km/h – a world record for limousines on standard tyres. The development of the project, from the initial Fulda concept to the delivery of the Maybach Exelero sports coupé, in just 25 months also achieved another world record.
Delivering to the discerning consumer
State-of-the-art technology, comfort, convenience, and all at a good price – the end consumer knows what it wants and is becoming increasingly discerning. And because of this those industries that support the vehicle manufacturers are increasingly being called upon to respond to manufacturing trends towards more capacity, higher horse power and better performance characteristics by providing technically compatible, performance-orientated product components. This includes the tyre industry. Predictions for the ultra high performance tyre segment show a 60 per cent sales increase for V, W and Y speed categories between 2003 and 2008.
Fulda’s new Exelero is a prime example of the tyre technology currently being placed in the path of today’s quality-sensitive consumer group. The product is a result of equally intensive and complex research and development claims the manufacturer. The motivation behind such R&D was always to enhance the performance of existing summer tyre products, a goal Fulda believes it has achieved.
Refined and perfected for the requirements of sporty drivers, the characteristics of the new Exelero have impressed Germany’s Technical Board of Control (TÜV Süd). The product was awarded the TÜV test symbol following detailed tyre tests and a quality audit of Fulda’s production processes. In doing so the TÜV Süd has, for the first time, recognised the research and development undertaken by a tyre manufacturer on the basis of an independent testing and certification process.
The Exelero is also the result of intensive market research. Customer surveys conducted by Fulda Reifen revealed that the majority of motorists want tyres with optimised braking characteristics on wet road surfaces, good handling, and low noise build-up. As a result of this research a special wet grip compound was developed, and its low elasticity improves grip level providing shorter braking distances, especially on wet road surfaces. In principle a tyre tread with low elasticity produces a more effective grip on the road surface than a compound with higher elasticity and the contact between the tyre and road surface is guaranteed for a longer period.
In addition, the new high performance carcass offers improved handling, on both dry and wet road surfaces. Developed to meet the requirements of high performance and sports cars, the tyre manufacturer has placed special emphasis on the tyres’ high stability and response behaviour. The carcass is less susceptible to deformation during heavy braking manoeuvres and on sharp bends and thus not only improves the grip but also the vehicle’s steering behaviour.
With the newly developed and so-called unique ‘DualShift Method’ the engineers have been able to clearly reduce the Exelero’s noise emissions. The ‘DualShift Method’ consists of two elements; the special configuration of various tread block sizes in the shoulder section and centre leads to an audible reduction in the sound frequency peaks. Six circumferential longitudinal grooves are also individually set, to further improve driving comfort and low noise build-up.
Fulda’s new UHP product is currently being rolled out to the trade and will eventually be available in 33 sizes and 39 versions ranging from 15 to 23 inches (55 to 25 series), 25 sizes are already available in the UK. Fulda is putting 13 of the sizes into series production for the first time.
Pirelli has won several summer tyre tests carried out by German motoring publications. Products ranging from the ultra high performance sector to the balanced performance ranges were put through their paces.
In particular, Pirelli’s UHP tyre, P Zero Nero, fitted to BMW Z4, Mercedes-Benz C 320 Sport Coupé, Audi A3 and Audi TT and the P Zero Rosso fitted to Mercedes-Benz CLS 350 returned performances of “extremely high levels,” says the manufacturer, winning tests on both wet and dry asphalt.
Pirelli’s SUV Scorpion STR tyre, tested on a Jeep Cherokee, also received recognition, as did the high performance P6 on a Volkswagen Golf V and P3000 Energy on a Ford Fiesta.
Fulda’s high performance tyre, Attiro, has topped the medium/large car category in the recent Which? tyre tests.
If you would like the latest news from the Chinese tyre industry in Chinese, visit our partner site TyrepressChina.com. Or click below to continue on Tyrepress.
